Substrate processing apparatus, substrate processing method and storage medium

Abstract

A substrate processing apparatus capable of reducing a consumed amount of a processing liquid is provided. The substrate processing apparatus includes a plurality of processing units 22 - 1 to 22 - 6 to perform liquid processing on a substrate by using a processing liquid, a processing liquid supply pipe 210 to supply the processing liquid in common to the plurality of processing units 22 - 1 to 22 - 6 , and a flow control part 220 to control a flow rate of the processing liquid within the processing liquid supply pipe 210 to be increased or decreased according to a number of operating processing units from among the plurality of processing units 22 - 1 to 22 - 6.

1 . A substrate processing apparatus comprising:
 a plurality of processing units to perform liquid processing on a substrate by using a processing liquid;   a processing liquid supply pipe to supply the processing liquid in common to the plurality of processing units; and   a flow control part to control a flow rate of the processing liquid within the processing liquid supply pipe to be increased or decreased according to a number of operating processing units from among the plurality of processing units,   wherein the flow control part increases the flow rate of the processing liquid within the processing liquid supply pipe before a newly operating processing unit from among the plurality of processing units operates.   
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a mixing part to add a second liquid to a first liquid flowing within the processing liquid supply pipe and to form the processing liquid through mixing the first liquid with the second liquid within the processing liquid supply pipe, the second liquid being different from the first liquid,
 wherein the flow control part controls a flow rate of the first liquid and a flow rate of the second liquid to be increased or decreased according to the number of the operating processing units from among the plurality of processing units, thereby increasing or decreasing the flow rate of the processing liquid within the processing liquid supply pipe.   
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the flow control part controls any one or both of an increase/decrease rate of the flow rate of the first liquid and an increase/decrease rate of the flow rate of the second liquid, so that the concentration of the processing liquid after increasing or decreasing of the flow rates reaches the concentration of the processing liquid before increasing or decreasing of the flow rates. 
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the flow control part increases the flow rate of the processing liquid within the processing liquid supply pipe, so that the newly operating processing unit operates after the increased flow rate of the processing liquid within the processing liquid supply pipe is stabilized. 
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , further comprising a concentration measuring part to be connected to a portion of the processing liquid supply pipe, the portion being between the mixing part and the plurality of processing units, and to measure a concentration of the processing liquid formed through the mixing in the mixing part,
 wherein the flow control part controls any one or both of the increase/decrease rate of the flow rate of the first liquid and the increase/decrease rate of the flow rate of the second liquid according to the measured concentration of the concentration measuring part, so that the concentration of the processing liquid after increasing or decreasing of the flow rates reaches the concentration of the processing liquid before increasing or decreasing of the flow rates.   
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a back pressure control part to be connected to a portion of the processing liquid supply pipe, the portion being between a drain and the plurality of processing units, and to control pressure of the processing liquid within the processing liquid supply pipe,
 wherein the back pressure control part controls the pressure of the processing liquid within the processing liquid supply pipe to have a uniform value according to a change in the flow rate of the processing liquid within the processing liquid supply pipe.   
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , further comprising a pressure measuring part to be connected to a portion of the processing liquid supply pipe, the portion being between the plurality of processing units and the back pressure control part and to measure pressure within the processing liquid supply pipe,
 wherein the back pressure control part changes the pressure of the processing liquid within the processing liquid supply pipe according to the measurement result of the pressure measuring part.   
   
   
       8 . A method of liquid processing of a substrate processing apparatus, comprising:
 supplying a processing liquid in common from a processing liquid supply pipe to a plurality of processing units;   controlling a flow rate of the processing liquid flowing within the processing liquid supply pipe to be increased or decreased according to a number of operating processing units from among the plurality of processing units.   
   
   
       9 . A computer-readable storage medium, the storage medium being executed by a computer and storing a substrate processing control program,
 wherein the control program controls the substrate processing apparatus to perform the method of  claim 8  on execution by the computer.